Yield to oncoming traffic if yellow arrow light is flashing

Allen Hooper of Everett writes: There is a light at the intersection of Admiralty Way and Airport Road (128th Street SW) in south Everett. During the green signal for cars to proceed on Airport Road, the left-turn signal is a blinking yellow arrow.

Shouldn’t this be a blinking red turn signal to ensure that cars stop before turning left across traffic?

I’ve always thought of blinking yellow as meaning slow down and proceed, not stop and proceed.

Perhaps there needs to be a sign that reads, “caution, through traffic does not stop.”

Owen Carter, Snohomish County engineer, responds: Flashing yellow arrows have been in use around Snohomish County for the past 10 years, but if you’ve never seen one before, they can seem unusual. The flashing yellow arrow works the exact same way as a green light with a “left turn yield on green” sign: You can turn, but you have to yield to oncoming traffic. (You can look it up online — it’s on Page 24 of the state Driver Guide).

Snohomish County has replaced most of its green lights and left-turn yield signs with this combination of a green light and flashing yellow arrow. The cities of Lynnwood, Mill Creek and Bothell also use the green light-yellow arrow combinations.

Victor H. Gajewski of Lake Stevens writes: I recently noticed that there are no speed limit signs on eastbound Highway 204 coming from U.S. 2 leading toward Frontier Village in Lake Stevens. I know that a number of lightposts in that area have been damaged and replaced.

Dave Chesson, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, responds: Victor is correct, a light pole where the ramp from eastbound U.S. 2 joins Highway 204 was recently struck and had to be replaced.The pole had a speed limit sign informing drivers from U.S. 2 about the speed limit on Highway 204.

The last step of the replacement was re-installing a speed limit sign, which our maintenance crews completed Wednesday.

E-mail us at stsmarts@heraldnet.com. Please include your city of residence.

Look for updates on our Street Smarts blog at www.heraldnet.com/streetsmarts.